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Body Image: Newsflash! You May Have the Body of Gisele, But Not Know It

Hold on a sec, what? Yes, you, my darling, may look lean and tall, but not know it. Researchers say that when it comes to our own bodies, we grossly underestimate our strengths ...

Quick, answer this question: Do you feel that you have an accurate and true understanding of your body size and shape?

If you look in the mirror and see a short and "stubby" person, say researchers, you may actually fall into a category of people whose brains play tricks on them. And here's a concept: You may actually be as tall and svelte as Giselle or Gwyneth.

NBC reports that British researchers have determined that most people are very bad at assessing their own dimensions. "In the mind’s eye, we almost always see shorter and stubbier -- right down to the size and shape of our hands," writes Linda Carroll.

Sort of fascinating, actually!

Here's an example from my life:

When I was a teen, I was worried that my hands were misshapen and ugly. Then, a friend of mine told me, at a sleepover (I'll never forget it!), that I had the most beautiful hands and nails. I was so flattered, and amazed, and started seeing my hands in a completely different light from that day forward. Tell me about you: Do you feel that your body image could be slightly skewed?